Oh, this was a magical day out on the trail! We saw very few hikers, maybe only 1-2 other groups of day hikers plus some PCTers. As we approached the turnoff there were a ton of cars parked along the highway but it must've all been for Heather Maple Pass on the other side, because this was quiet!
Got to the trailhead around 12pm and the parking area was only about half-full. We took a long break at the top and got back to the car around 7. A long day but well worth it! The trail is super well graded - you're consistently climbing but it's gentle, never steep except for maaaybe a short stretch or two on the switchbacks near the end. There are several dispersed campsites once you reach the meadows around 2.5-3 miles up - great for a lunch stop if you can't wait until the top. The top of the pass has stunning views behind and in front of you - hard to know where to look! And the sheer number of green larches had me dreaming about coming back in October... This is absolutely a trail I hope to return to again and again.
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